AUTHORS.

DESIGNED BY SHANNON JOHNSON

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Corey EridonManaging Editor, HubSpot

@COREY_BOS

Shannon Johnson Content Strategist, HubSpot

@SHANNOPOP

WRITTEN BY BRIAN VELLMURE & COREY ERIDON

Brian VellmureFounder/CEO, Initium LLC

@BRIANVELLMURE

SALES PROCESS OR SALES METHODOLOGY?

ARE YOU STILL DRAWING PLAYS IN THE DIRT?

STOP TALKING, START LISTENING.

MINDSET, SKILLSET, TOOLSET.

METHODOLOGY MADNESS, OR MAGIC?

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INTRODUCTION.4

CONTENTS.

METHODOLOGY SELECTION & IMPLEMENTATION.42

1 INTRODUCTION.

4

INTRODUCTION.

We set out to create an ebook about sales methodologythat’s a little different than the typical ebook you readnowadays.

Our original idea sounded something like this:

There are a myriad of sales methodologies out there thatsales reps, managers, trainers, etc. subscribe to. But whatabout the sales leaders we all look up to? Whatmethodology do they subscribe to, and why? If we couldhave industry leaders explain the merits of themethodology to which they subscribe – solution,challenger, SPIN, etc. – maybe we could zero in on theone methodology to rule them all.

What became immediately clear is that almost no salesleader subscribed neatly to just one methodology.Instead, we encountered hybrid methodologies -- an a lacarte version of popular methodologies tweaked andcobbled together to make a methodology that works forthem.

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INTRODUCTION.

So, instead of assigning methodologies to sales leaders,we worked with Brian Vellmure to talk to these leadersabout the methodologies that they believe in, and why.

In this ebook, you’ll hear thoughts about salesmethodologies from:

• David Brock, President, Partners In EXCELLENCE• JB Bush, Managing Partner, ValueSelling Associates• Mark Lowry, CRO, Higher Logic• Anneke Seley, Author Sales 2.0; CEO & Founder,

Reality Works• Mike Kunkle, Commercial Training & Development

Leader, GE Capital• Craig Rosenberg, Cofounder, TOPO

After reviewing them, perhaps you’ll find a few things toadd to, or subtract from, your own current methodology.

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2 SALES PROCESS OR SALES METHODOLOGY?

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Dave Brock, President, Partners In EXCELLENCE.

Now I know some of you are scratching your heads, thinking I’m engaging in double talk.Aren’t they really the same thing?

It is confusing, and the many sales training vendors don’t make it any less so, so let mesort them out.

What is a sales process?A sales process is a road map to guide the sales professional in facilitating theircustomers’ buying processes. A sales process focuses only on deals and opportunities.

It’s not a call plan, and account plan or a territory plan.The sales process helps us identify and qualify those opportunities that fit squarely intoour sweet spot. Then it guides us through the sets of activities we need to execute to winthe business.

A sales process should answer these questions: Does it improve my win rate? Does it helpme compress the buying/sales cycle? Does it help me maximize the deal value orprofitability? If it doesn’t do those things, you’ve got the wrong sales process in place.

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SALES PROCESS OR SALES METHODOLOGY?

Is there an ideal sales process?The sales process is unique to the company ororganization. The sales process is based on a numberof things. It’s based on our own track record as anorganization -- it should represent the collective bestpractices we extract from analyzing our wins, and alsowhat we’ve learned from analyzing our losses.

But it’s further unique to the company, since the salesprocess focuses on opportunities that are good forour company. That is, they are good business for us --they fit our strategies, they fit our ability to supportthem, they are with the customers we are trying toattract, they are aligned with our culture and values asan organization.

That’s why every company has a unique salesprocess. Every company has different strategies,different cultures, different values. What is goodbusiness and a great customer for one company maybe terrible for another.

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SALES PROCESS OR SALES METHODOLOGY?

1#

Sales MethodologySo sales methodologies are different. Sales methodologies are usually developed bysales training vendors or consultants. They represent unique approaches to driving saleseffectiveness and developing sales skills. There are as many sales methodologies asthere are sales training companies -- to tell the truth, it’s sometimes difficult to differentiatethem. Some of the big names include Solution Selling, Customer Focused SellingProvocative Selling, SPIN Selling, Large Account/Strategic Account Selling, Insight BasedSelling, Challenger Selling, Consultative Selling, and on and on and on.

Many of the sales training methodologies started with a specific focus. For example, SPINSelling started with a focus on discovery and a questioning methodology to understandand probe customer problems. Miller Heiman’s Large Account Selling Sales originallyfocused on expanding share and growing our presence in large accounts. Solution Sellingfocused on understanding customer problems than providing solutions to those problems.

Some methodologies tend to be focused more heavily on a certain part of the salesprocess. For example, Challenger focuses more on the very front end of the process,providing insights that motivate the customer to take action and change. Somemethodologies focus on negotiation which occurs at the end of the sales process.

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SALES PROCESS OR SALES METHODOLOGY?

How does my sales process fit the sales methodology?Sales methodologies are often confused with sales process, but as I’ve outlined they aredifferent. Each vendor has a generic process embedded into their methodology, so if anorganization doesn’t have a sales process, they can use the generic vendor suppliedprocess.

But here’s the problem with the generic sales process -- it means the way we sellsemiconductors is the same way we sell enterprise software, is the same way we sellmachine tools, is the same way we sell investment packages, is the same way we sellmining equipment. It doesn’t make sense, does it?

Or here’s another problem. If we don’t have a sales process, and our closest competitordoesn’t have a selling process, and we both use the same generic sales process from thesame sales training vendor we would be undifferentiated.

Now you can start to see the problem with not leveraging your unique selling process.

If we buy a sales methodology we need to insist the vendor adapt their approach to oursales process -- not their generic sales process. If we don’t, we risk confusing salespeople, getting zero adoption of either, or not getting the best results possible.

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SALES PROCESS OR SALES METHODOLOGY?

Which sales methodology is right for me?Which sales methodology do you buy? Well, it depends. The differences are often smalland nuanced. Buy the one that fits your current priorities the best. Some are stronger intheir questioning techniques. Some are optimized for large account development. Some,like ours, have been optimized around deal strategy and pipeline management. Yourneeds will vary over time, so use the one that your current priorities and requirements.

Another strategy is to take the best from several methodologies, creating your ownunique methodology. I know a number of companies that have purposefully leveraged anumber of methodologies -- one year they might learn one, two years later another, twoyear later yet another. They then incorporate the best pieces into what works for them.This can be a powerful strategy, as long as you are prepared to invest the training, tools,and enablement resources to maintain and update the “hybrid” methodology. Even largecompanies are careful in taking this approach.

Finally, some companies don’t leverage a methodology. I don’t think this is a goodstrategy, though -- the methodologies really do enhance our abilities to execute and candrive much higher levels of performance.

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SALES PROCESS OR SALES METHODOLOGY?

Sales process or methodology?So do we need a sales process or a sales methodology? The definitive answer is “Yes, weneed both.” Make sure you invest the time in understanding and defining your own salesprocess. It’s the cornerstone to your success and differentiation.

Overlay that, and sharpen your execution of your sales process with a great salesmethodology. But make sure the methodology is integrated into your sales process.

Don’t forget, you sustain your investment in any sales training by integrating it into yoursystems, processes, tools, and most importantly, coaching strategies.

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SALES PROCESS OR SALES METHODOLOGY?

3 ARE YOU STILL DRAWING PLAYS IN THE DIRT?

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JB Bush, Managing Partner, ValueSelling Associates.

Fall is in the air and the enthusiasm and anticipation is building for football fans. Footballseason certainly draws the attention to the athletes and coaches, to team mechanics andthe strategy coordinated with every play, and that’s on both sides of the ball. So let me askyou this, as you watch the games on any given weekend, can you imagine coaching oneof these teams of elite athletes with no playbook, or strategy?

The parallels to running a sales organization are many. Consider a team of seasonedprofessionals as well as eager rookies. They all have exceptional skills, drive, and desireto not only succeed, but excel. Yet many sales leaders are running their sales team likethey are in a random pick-up game, drawing plays in the dirt versus planning a strategy forrepeatable success. The results are often limited sales points scored in any given quarteras well as limited optimism for long term success.

On the other hand, it is the coach who implements a strategy to maximize the various skillsets of the individual players, who will increase the chance of success and get the deals inthe door to achieve and exceed quota.

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ARE YOU STILL DRAWING PLAYS IN THE DIRT?

Your sales process represents the football field. It shows where you are and how far youneed to go to get the business in the door. The sales methodology is your offensivesystem that provides the direction and strategy to march down the field. Implementing andreinforcing a consistent sales methodology can result in a ridiculous number of benefits.Not only does it define best practice processes and tactics leveraged by successful salesreps for account, contact and opportunity management, it also creates a commonlanguage for the team when looking at getting business in the door. The strategy is builtaround the customer and the outcomes and value they expect from doing business withyou.

Sounds like common sense to me. But common sense does not equate to commonpractice. It is too easy to find very real examples of where the introduction of amethodology not only fails but fails spectacularly. How many of us have attended greatone- or two-day training sessions when sales reps leave fired up? Everything makessense, and everyone talks the talk for a few weeks. Over time, however, both reps andmanagers tend to revert to what they know or are comfortable implementing. Themethodology then decays to labels on sales stages, with reps ignoring the processes andmanagers inspecting only the numbers. The result? Nothing has changed. There’s losttime, resources and investment, and ultimately zero impact on increasing productivity.

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ARE YOU STILL DRAWING PLAYS IN THE DIRT?

For an organization, making the decision to pursue a changemanagement initiative is hard. For the individual managersand reps charged to implement and adopt the new behaviors,the decision to buy in is even harder. Driving adoption of asales methodology is work – plain and simple.

As with any change management initiative, there are severalsuccess factors that are critical: alignment to the strategicobjectives of the organization, executive managementcommunication and support of the initiative, and utilizationand integration of the process at all levels of the organization.The ROI on the introduction of a sales methodology lives withthe skill development of first-line managers. They are the keyin ongoing reinforcement and support. And of course, regularbenchmarking, measuring and pivoting for success.

Ignore these success factors and you are officially at risk. Butif you do the work, stay focused on the outcomes, and embedit into the DNA of your sales organization -- then the work hasvery real and tangible benefits. Let’s talk about the winners.

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ARE YOU STILL DRAWING PLAYS IN THE DIRT?

Sales ManagementMethodology adoption leads to improved forecastaccuracy and pipeline, and reveals opportunities tocoach and advise sales reps on a deal-by-dealbasis. It provides a framework for opportunityqualification and strategy sessions so time is spentfocusing on how to advance a given opportunity --how to utilize the best strategies, resources, andtactics rather than just inspecting the revenuevalue of the deal.

Sales RepShifting the focus from “how to sell” tounderstanding “how the customer makes buyingand investment decisions” puts the sales rep into aconsulting role. It provides insight on how toprioritize and execute the activities to advance andclose opportunities. It simplifies the discovery ofcustomer issues, desired solutions and outcomes.The results are stronger customer relationships,shorter sales cycles, and higher margin deals.

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ARE YOU STILL DRAWING PLAYS IN THE DIRT?

The BuyerMake no doubt about it -- your customers are notinvesting in your solutions, they are investing in theimpact, the outcomes, and the business value yoursolutions have on their business. The best salesmethodologies are modeled on how customers buy,so having a sales rep prepared to engage based on abuyer’s business issues will enhance the buyer’songoing experience and reduce wasted time. Byaligning to the outcomes a buyer is focused on, ratherthan pitching a product or solution, the result is a win-win scenario for both the buyer and the sales rep.

It’s not enough to run training sessions, introduce newskills and techniques, and expect different results.Adoption is the accelerant for a sales methodology toproduce true productivity fireworks.

So the question is, do you continue to draw plays inthe dirt or do you get the team executing at a higherlevel?

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ARE YOU STILL DRAWING PLAYS IN THE DIRT?

4 STOP TALKING, START LISTENING.

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Mark Lowry, CRO, Higher Logic.

Most sales reps are looking for an edge to increase theirperformance. Sales is a discipline that requires many skillsand talents to be consistently successful in the long run.Sales methodologies and following a process areimportant, but there is one simple thing that I’ve observedthat may have the most significant impact on salesperformance.

Active listening can be a sales representative’s mostvaluable skill. However, by nature of the process, mostsales reps tend to spend more time talking than listening.

Taking a listen-first approach can be as effective in thesales process as it is in the development of a personalrelationship. Think about the evolution of a datingrelationship. Most second dates are preceded by a firstdate that includes engaging conversation and a genuineinterest by both parties to learn about the person seatedacross the table.

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STOP TALKING, START LISTENING.

A rep approached me recently to ask what he could do better to close more business. Heknew the product inside and out -- he was making calls and securing an adequate numberof meetings with prospective clients. As a seasoned rep, he had a deep understanding ofthe product and the company, and he could spend hours talking about and demonstratingevery bell and whistle. But he was struggling to move prospects through the salesprocess, and as a result, was losing too many competitive deals. He had gotten to a pointwhere they almost knew too much about the solutions we offered and our company. Heprovided great information and delivered it well, but he was forgetting that not everyfeature matters to everyone.

To help him take a step back and think about it from a different angle, I asked him to relateit to a personal relationship. When you had that first date in that relationship, why do youthink it went so well? At first he answered, “Well I’m not sure.” As we dug deeper, he saidthe date told him all about herself, and he felt like he’d known that person for years by theend of the date. People think first dates go well if they got to talk about their interests orwhat they are looking for in a relationship. Similarly, prospects think the meeting went wellif they got to talk about what they are looking for in a solution. If you talked the whole timeon the date or in the meeting, I bet you walk out of it thinking it went well, when the otherparty may not have the same impression.

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STOP TALKING, START LISTENING.

It’s also important that you were actively listening.Sometimes this means reading between the lines,as some prospects are better than others atexplaining to you what they need. The good thing isthe more they talk, the more you can diagnose. Asyou diagnose, you should repeat parts of what theysaid to you to show you were actively listening.Also, ask additional questions to make sure theperiod of time when you are talking is not too long.As you repeat what they said, include clarifyingquestions, even if you know the answer.

For example: “To make sure I understand,” “Canyou further explain,” and “Tell me more about howwe can help you.” This will help you develop a deepunderstanding of your prospect’s business andneeds. You also make the prospect feel like theywere heard, showing interest and empathy for whatthey told you. If you’ve listened more, you will berespected and looked upon to teach the prospect,instead of sell to them.

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STOP TALKING, START LISTENING.

When you diagnose the prospect’s needs, always begin with the end in mind. It’s abalancing act -- have a hook, but don’t sell. Listen to what the client tells you about whenthey want a solution in place, and use it to your advantage to close the business soonerrather than later. Encourage actions while still being personable. Be understanding to whatthey are going through, but simultaneously make the issue seem larger than it is.

Don’t forget you are also selling to a person, so consider the emotional impact on thatindividual or the individuals in the room. Provide a solution that not only is great for theircompany, but also helps them personally. Also, look to identify another problem theydidn’t know they had, to build credibility while you were actively listening. Mostimportantly, map the diagnosis back to what your company actually does and don’t focuson their issues you can’t help them with.

Business is about people. People like to be listened to and heard. People love to buy andnot be sold. People love to buy what they want, so make them want to buy from you. Don’tfocus on always closing, focus on making a friend and making sure they enjoy that firstdate!

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STOP TALKING, START LISTENING.

5 MINDSET, SKILLSET, TOOLSET.

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Anneke Seley, CEO & Founder, Reality Works, Author Sales 2.0.

One of the questions I dread most when speaking at conferences is, “If you had to chooseto invest in one thing to improve the sales team’s revenue performance, what would youpick?” The choice is typically between sales methodology/training and sales productivitytechnology. Let’s consider these two sales fundamentals, along with an all-important third,that we could address to significantly move the needle on customer and market growth,revenue generation, and profitability: mindset, skillset, and toolset.

MindsetAs industry watchers and consultants, we like to ask business leaders the question, “If youwere starting with a blank sheet of paper, how would you design your sales force today tomaximize revenue and profit and best serve your customers?” Given the evolution inbuying and selling across industries that has been brought about by the increasedexpectations and competition of our modern, automated world, many would opt for a do-over of their existing organizational structure.

Not every executive has the luxury of scrapping or reorganizing the existing sales team. In1985, though, we took a huge risk at Oracle Corporation (which was an emerging start-upat the time) by doing just that. Oracle boasted an unparalleled field selling organization oftop professionals.

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MINDSET, SKILLSET, TOOLSET.

We put both sales development (lead gen) and inside sales teams in place. In 1988, weintroduced these programs internationally. This organizational design doesn’t soundrevolutionary today, as it has been duplicated successfully by many companies and isconsidered best practice.

What if you were to rethink the sales and marketing resources, roles and compensationplans required to reach different kinds of buyers at different times, situations, andbusinesses?

Questions to ask yourself:

• How would you innovate and experiment with the 1985-era Oracle sales model (nowlong in the tooth!) to modernize it?

• Can your inside team -- or a reimagined version of it -- serve customers that arecurrently served by field reps?

• Can your website (plus a robust Chat team) serve customers that are now served by aninside rep to further reduce cost and sales cycle time?

• Do you -- or your customers -- still benefit from having a distinction between inside andoutside sales in a world that is technology-enabled and geographically dispersed?

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MINDSET, SKILLSET, TOOLSET.

Your sales culture -- another mindset -- could also be an area for improvement. Today’scustomers don’t respond to pitchy “quota busters.”

Companies like IBM and ADP are implementing change management programs to turntheir sales professionals into “social sellers”: those that research their buyers and providepersonalized information and industry expert resources before asking for orders. Also, theold “everyone for her/himself” approach, described in books like Elay Cohen’s SalesHood,is making way for the “we’re all in this together” peer-sharing culture, in which reps sharecustomer success stories and learn from each other.

SkillsetThere are myriad sales skills, methodologies, and best practices courses designed toprovide a common framework for your sales team and guide their sales conversationstoward a successful “next step” outcome -- ideally for both the seller and the buyer. Thereare even popular and trendy selling approaches that are backed by research proving theright methodology yields the best results.

Although most sellers I know consider methodology and process major buzz kills, they arekey elements for developing the skillsets required for a best-performing sales team. Aone-size-fits-all approach, though, is contrary to the personalized everything world inwhich we now buy and sell.

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MINDSET, SKILLSET, TOOLSET.

An inflexible sales process or methodology that suits your largest customers in the mid tolate stages of buying may be overly complex or inappropriate for your small or mid-marketcustomers, whose sales cycles or buying preferences are different. You don’t want yourcustomers to feel like Ryan Block, whose infamous Comcast-cancelation-call-from-hellwent viral.

Skillset training delivery options are multiplying as well. Video-based lessons are not justfor university and public school students; they allow your sales teams to access contenton-demand on computers or mobile devices from anywhere. They can even be facilitatedby trainers, first line managers, marketing, or sales enablement staff from remote locations.

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MINDSET, SKILLSET, TOOLSET.

Questions to ask yourself:

• What are the most important skills for your sales team to be most valuable to yourmobile, online, “I want it now” customers?

• How are those skills best taught initially and reinforced on an ongoing basis?• If field reps were to develop the skillsets of inside reps, how would that help your

customers? How would it help your financials?• Why is an inside sales or lead gen rep’s skillset considered more junior -- or less

important -- than a field rep’s?• What if lead gen reps were senior professionals and could access decision makers

faster and earlier in their buying cycle?• What if inside reps were highly experienced and could travel when needed?

ToolsetHow many emails, voicemails and InMails have you gotten today from technologysuppliers, promising that companies just like yours have increased revenue and/ordecreased cost by using their products? Today it’s a full time job to stay on top of thethousands of productivity applications that can help your team reach more people, fasterand with better information than ever before.

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MINDSET, SKILLSET, TOOLSET.

The most successful teams we’ve observed introduce a limited number of tools at a timeto their already-overworked and often-skeptical sellers. In the world of technology-enablement, focus is key and less is typically more, given the training, coaching andcontinuing management required for successful adoption and measurement of outcomesand results -- not to mention the costs associated with the technology itself that can addup quickly.

Questions to ask yourself:

• How many tools am I asking my sales force to learn and use consistently?• Are your reps up to speed on the basics? (CRM, Marketing Automation, Screen

sharing/web conferencing? Social listening? Others?)• Which tools are being used most consistently?• How do they help my team sell?• Can I calculate an ROI or business return?• Which sellers and seller role results are measurably improved by technology?• Can other sellers learn from them?

Rethinking sales -- the mindset, skillset and toolset -- can make the difference between anaverage sales team and a stellar one.

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6 METHODOLOGY MADNESS, OR MAGIC?

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From Mike Kunkle, Commercial Training & Development Leader, GE Capital.Sales process and sales methodology arewritten about frequently. When I talk toleaders, both inside and outside the salesfunction, I still hear a lot of confusion onthese topics. Why the confusion about salesmethodology, you ask? I think there are twoprimary reasons.

One reason is the confusion caused bysome overlapping terms.• Processes, when documented to a

deeper level, involve “process steps”which are often not sales related or tiedto the buyer interaction.

• Methodology includes frameworks andmodels, which have “skill steps” andinvolve the interactions between sellerand buyer. 33

METHODOLOGY MADNESS, OR MAGIC?

Sales methodology includes the execution of the framework/models or the skills usage(interaction between the seller and buyer(s)… the things the rep does to move theopportunity forward. This often includes situational judgment and decision to use collateral(or a specific piece of collateral), or the situational judgment and decision to ask forsupport (and who to involve). Then, how you use the collateral with the buyer or pair withyour internal partner to engage the buyer, are also part of your methodology.

Another reason for confusion is that many use the term “methodology” interchangeably torefer to specific sales training program content (often vendor program content).

For example, I often see Huthwaite’s SPIN referred to as a methodology. Technically, it’s aquestioning method that offers an approach toward diagnosing and understanding thecustomer’s situation, problem, implication, and needs payoff (which, as an interestingaside, I’ve recently read that Rackham originally wanted to call “value”).

So, at least by my definition, SPIN could be part of a full sales methodology (what a repdoes in each process stage with the buyer to move the lead or opportunity forward to thenext stage), but it’s certainly not a complete methodology. When I ask sales managers ifthey have a sales methodology and they say “Oh sure, we use SPIN,” it makes me wonderwhat exactly they’re doing in the other stages. (And, for clarity, this explanation is neitheran endorsement nor a criticism of Huthwaite or SPIN Selling – it’s merely an example.)

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Many sales training companies have multipleofferings which span the various stages of the salesprocess, such as prospecting, consultative selling(usually a form of sales meeting management and avariant of Open, Probe, Support, Close or Opening,Needs Dialogue, Solution Dialogue, Closing, withsome variation of resolving objections or concerns),opportunity management, presentations skills, salesnegotiating, account development, and more. Othersoffer specific approaches or solutions that plug intoappropriate situations, such as Trigger Event Selling,social selling, or selling with insights.

What’s unfortunate, it is that many clients start insearch of a “sales methodology” and based on avariety of factors, end up with a slice of methodologythat does not support the entire buying cycle.Sometimes, this is purposeful and what the clientreally needs to close a gap. Other times, it’s becausesome sales rep had a hammer and saw a nail.

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METHODOLOGY MADNESS, OR MAGIC?

Methodology MagicI’d be remiss here if I didn’t mention a postI read earlier this year from BruceRasmussen that made me clap from mycouch. Bruce’s post is on LinkedInPublisher/Pulse and is titled, It's not WHICHsales methodology - it's WHEN!

Bruce nails it here. The examples of thevendor “methodologies” mentioned arelimited, but you’ll get the idea. The simple,clear thought is to understand whatmethodologies work best in various stagesof the buying/sales process, and use themwhen they apply. Bravo, Bruce.

In my work, as a consultant or internalpractitioner, I’ve helped organizations dothis in several ways, and will share twohere, with some resources to explore forthose who want to read more.

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Top Producer Gap Analysis

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METHODOLOGY MADNESS, OR MAGIC?

Some people want to debate this with me, which I always find interesting. They say, “Whyresearch internally if you know best practices already? What if you just replicate the bestof the worst, and your top producers aren’t the best in your industry?”

That sounds logical (and there may really be some truth to it), but in my experience:

• The gaps of knowledge, skills, behaviors and practices between top and middleproducers often vary from one company to another (especially the practices), becauseof the differences in industry, customers, products/services, and other sales nuances(read more about sales nuances here).

• There is usually enough of a gap between the top and the middle producers, thatclosing it would yield big results.

Note: Usually, there are some clear statistical dividing lines between the top 4%, the restof the top 20% and the next few groups below them (the next 30% [or 15% + 15%] andsometimes even the group below them). If you don’t see gaps that would significantlyraise organizational performance when closed, perhaps the above caution is valid in yourcompany. But in 20+ years of doing this work, I have not experienced that scenario. If youget a good chunk of the middle producers acting more like top producers, it’s usually abig win.

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METHODOLOGY MADNESS, OR MAGIC?

Here’s another thing to consider. There are certainly commonalities among manyproducers across companies, but no definitive set of traits, skills, behaviors and bestpractices that always separate the top 20% from the middle producers. Stories of topproducers in one field, industry or company struggling in another company, are legendary.I have seen some replicable things across organizations in the top 4%, which I share here,but I still recommended doing the research inside your own company. Then, you canmake a judgment on how to best add to your top producer’s sales methodologies withknown best practices or vendor programs, when it makes sense.

Sales Utility Belt ConceptThis is a Kunkle-ism, for sure, but I’ve had some big success with it. In my top producerresearch over the past 15 years, I’ve seen a pattern of problem-solving ability, decision-making skill, and use of situational analysis and sound judgment that far surpasses thetypical average producer.

The quickest way to grasp the concept of the Sales Utility Belt is to think about Batman ora skilled carpenter. Both have utility belts, and both have the judgment to reach into theirbelt when faced with a situation, and pull out just the right tool at the right time and use itin the right way, to save the day or get the job done.

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METHODOLOGY MADNESS, OR MAGIC?

It’s the same with top sales producers. They do a better job than average producers, of:

• Loading the belt (learning new things, from training, reading, exposure or heuristicexperience)

• Learning to use tools properly• Analyzing situations quickly in real-time• Pulling out the right tool (it could be collateral, a framework, a model, a skill or behavior,

a response, or anything that is the “exact right thing” for that moment. (And yes, thereare some parallels here between Tim Ohai and Brian Lambert’s Agility Selling conceptin Sales Chaos and Jill Konrath’s Agile Selling).

When you identify these best-practice methodologies, you can share them and eveninclude them in formal training sessions. Much training includes what and how to dothings, but getting to this level of judgment, requires also understanding why, when (andsometimes where, when applicable) to do something. If you gather and teach thoseelements, and put reps in training scenarios to hone their situational judgment and providefeedback and learning loops, you can purposefully develop these skills in your middleproducers, and make them masters of their Sales Utility Belt (and your top producermethodologies).

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Sales Utility Belt Meets Training

Hopefully, this diagram provides some food for thought and a new way to think aboutsales methodology, which will allow you to separate basic process steps, from salesinteractions with buyers that move deals forward, and give you some ways to identifythose, source best practices, teach sales judgment, and move the your middle producerswith sales methodology that matters.

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7 METHODOLOGY SELECTION & IMPLEMENTATION.

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Craig Rosenberg, Cofounder, TOPO.When people ask me: “Do I need a salesmethodology?” the answer is an emphatic“Yes.” The sales methodology is a strategicorganizational decision on how you wantsales to interact with buyers and how youwill move buyers from one sales stage to thenext. For example, successful organizationshave a methodology for how they approachprospecting, presentation and pitch.

Many organizations hire “sales people with aproven track record,” give them the processand product training, and then leave it up tothem to go figure it out. I am notdownplaying talent, but I do believe that thetalent is more likely to succeed if there is acoordinated, repeatable, buyer-centricapproach to moving buyers from one stageto the next.

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METHODOLOGY SELECTION & IMPLEMENTATION.

Organizations that have defined and optimized their sales methodology often see thefollowing benefits:

1. Faster Onboarding: As I mentioned before, the standard operating procedure formost companies is to hire proven sales prep and provide them with product and somesales process training. Then reps spend months (or longer) trying to “figure it out.”Instead of waiting for sales reps to figure out “what works from scratch,” organizationsdevelop proven approaches and best practices into a methodology that new salesreps can follow immediately. With a methodology in place as well as training andcoaching, sales reps can “figure it out” quicker because they can quickly leverage aplan that works.

2. Common Methodology = better coaching: It’s hard to effectively coach sales reps if acommon foundation isn’t put in place. With a common methodology, sales leaders caneffective re-visit the specific plays that a sales rep made and actually add value. Bothsides know the plays and approach that should be run, so it’s easier to communicate.

3. Optimization: If every sales person is doing something completely different, it’s hardto identify what is legitimately working or not working. When everyone is running acommon methodology, trends emerge that give you the confidence that you need toresolve.

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So how do I implement a sales methodology within myorganization?

1. Map the buying process: The first step to determininganything in sales is to map the steps a buyer takes topurchase a product like yours. The map should startwith the status quo and follow each step until purchase(and beyond). You should talk to buyers and salespeople to make sure you develop a deepunderstanding of their buying process.

For each step in the buying process you want tounderstand the following details:

• Their key objective(s)• Key activities• Information and content they consume• How they communicate• What they need to get to the next step• The key questions and objections• The roadblocks preventing advancement in the process

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Purchase

Awareness

Research

Comparison

Retention

2. Align your sales process to your customer’s buying process: Once you understandhow your buyers want to buy, you can design a sales process that matches theirbuying process. You should detail the touch points where sales will engage withbuyers. For each touch point, you will to clearly outline what the buyer is doing, howsales should engage with the buyer, and exit criteria that defines the key milestonesthat need to be met to determine whether a buyer has moved to the next step.

3. Develop a methodology to support each step in the sales process: Once the salesprocess is defined, the methodology tells the sales person what we should say, howwe should say it, when to say it, and what we should do next. For example, I work withmany companies who (smartly) want a standard methodology for their initial pitch anddemo. The goal of this “first call” methodology is to be able to effectively present theirsolution and move qualified buyers into demos. They will likely need anothermethodology for negotiation or for prospecting. Because you have worked in detail tounderstand your buyer, you will have the ability to create a methodology that makessense for you organization and more importantly, for your buyer.

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4. Document, train, coach, and optimize yourmethodology: Most methodologies andprocesses fall down because there is noreinforcement going forward. First, documentthe methodology in a playbook that isconsumable to reps and provides tips tomanagers. Then train the sales team on theplaybook quarterly. Sales leaders and front-linecoaches need to embrace the methodologyand coach their sales reps on a regular basis tomaster it. And finally, meet regularly toaggregate feedback and make changes. It willbe easier to make changes because you have acommon way to talking to the buyer.

The final thing I will say is whether you choose athird party trainer to help build the methodology ornot is up to you. The most important thing is to havea methodology. It’s that simple, companies with asales methodology and the infrastructure to supportthis methodology are built to scale.

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